Portstewart Strand
Portstewart Strand is a sandy, two-mile long beach along the coast of County Londonderry, running westward from Portstewart, washed by the Atlantic Ocean. It lies between the popular seaside resort of Portstewart and the mouth of the River Bann, known as the Barmouth, all in the Liberties of Coleraine, east of the Bann.
This beautiful beach is one of the top ten visitor attractions in Ulster.
The beach
The strand is owned and managed by the National Trust. Cars can be brought onto the beach and parked on the strand: when the National Trust purchased the beach in 1980, it allowed this long-standing tradition to continue.[1]
The beach is a 'Blue Flag' beach in recognition of high standards of beach management and water quality, and it attracts up to 180,000 visitors every year. All activities including watersports, are zoned. On 28 April 2008, the National Trust opened a new visitor facility at the beach following a £450,000 investment, part-funded by taxpayers' money.
Conservation
The site is also an important nature conservation area and is officially designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a proposed Special Area of Conservation. It has an important dune system (180 acres) formed about 6,000 years ago and reaches heights of up to 100 feet. Neolithic pottery and implements have been found on the site, as well as bronze pins and Roman jewellery, indicating a long history of human habitation.[1] In 2000, the dune system was included in the Bann Estuary Area of Special Scientific Interest, due to the rare and fragile habitats and wildlife that it supports. Many species of butterflies and orchids, including the bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), have been recorded, and can be viewed from waymarked trails.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Portstewart Strand) |
- Location map: 55°10’5"N, 6°44’42"W
- Portstewart Strand – National Trust